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Simon and Garfunkel – The Concert in Central Park

admin — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:57:18 +0000

Simon & Garfunkel perform live in New York City’s Central Park.What started as a suggestion for Paul Simon to play a concert in New York’s Central Park blossomed, on September 19, 1981, as a full-blown Simon and Garfunkel reunion after an 11-year hiatus, and now proves a priceless snapshot of two of America’s greatest folk-rock performers. (It’s also the rightful bookend to Simon and Garfunkel’s acoustic Live from New York City, 1967.)

Performed with a who’s-who of East Coast session aces before a record-setting crowd of half a million fans, The Concert in Central Park finds its stars just shy of their 40th birthdays and very much in their primes, their voices sweet and pure and their playing relaxed, perfectly in tune and in synch. The show features a mix of S&G and solo Simon tunes, including all the songs that appear on the CD, with the addition of a reprise of “Late in the Evening” and the first live performance of Simon’s “The Late Great Johnny Ace.” This is classic material from start to finish, 87 minutes of unmitigated beauty. –Michael Mikesell

Rating: (out of 98 reviews)

List Price: $ 9.98

Price: $ 3.97

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Grown Ups (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

admin — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 15:43:29 +0000

Just because you grow older doesn’t mean you have to grow up! Comedy superstars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider are at their hilarious and outrageous best playing childhood friends who reunite one holiday weekend to relive the good old days. It doesn’t matter that these five guys are now respectable businessmen, husbands and fathers. Once they get back together, nothing is going to stop these kids-at-heart from having the time of their adult lives. From the people who brought you Click, comes this hilarious and heartwarming film that proves men will be boys. Adam Sandler and his frequent costars (Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade, and Rob Schneider) grope blindly for maturity in the genial comedy Grown Ups. Five childhood pals are drawn back together after the death of their former basketball coach; over the course of a Fourth of July weekend, they–along with their wildly attractive wives (played by Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph) and precocious children–loosen up, try to introduce their kids to the simple pleasures of nature, air some dirty laundry, and rediscover their friendship. In other words, it’s a fairly formulaic comedy that veers awkwardly from gags (ranging from slapstick to mean-spiritedness) to sentiment (ranging from sappy to not entirely sappy). Its appeal will depend entirely on your feelings about Sandler and the rest of the gang–if you like this bunch of lugs (in all their prolonged adolescent glory), then you’ll like this movie. If you don’t, you won’t. Everyone’s in relaxed but good form; affable is more the comic goal than razor sharp. Expect gags about being fat, being old, prolonged breast-feeding, ogling hot chicks, flatulence, etc. There’s some role reversal: it’s the women, particularly Hayek as a type-A fashion designer, who need to learn the eternal cinematic lesson that family is more important than work. Featuring guest appearances from Tim Meadows, Colin Quinn, and Steve Buscemi. –Bret Fetzer

Rating: (out of 26 reviews)

List Price: $ 38.96

Price: $ 24.99

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Sex and the City 2 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

admin — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 11:41:03 +0000

The fun, the fashion, the friendship: Sex and the City 2 brings it all back and more as Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) come together to take another bite out of The Big Apple – and beyond – in a hilarious sequel. What happens after you say “I do?” Life is everything the ladies ever wished it would be, but it wouldn’t be Sex in the City if life didn’t hold a few more surprises. After all, sometimes you just have to get away with the girls. The four glitziest ladies ever to hit Manhattan as a single force–Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte–are back, fabulous as ever, in Sex and the City 2. They may be older, and even a little wiser, but the pulls of love, lust, careers, and a pair of well-turned stilettos are still the focus of this Fab Four. As the women gamely face the prospect of aging–children, menopause, glass ceilings, and, in Carrie’s opinion a fate worse than death–domesticity–they still manage to sparkle with the banter and great outfits that made the HBO series and the first film such hits. Sex and the City 2 opens with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) at the wedding of two of the foursome’s favorite gay male friends, Stanford (Willie Garson) and Anthony (Mario Cantone). The wedding itself pulls out all the stops–in the true spirit of Sex and the City–and is one of the highlights of the film. From the no-holds-barred décor, including live swans, to the gay men’s chorus singing show tunes while the guests arrive, the event is on the far side of over the top. As the guests settle into their seats, Miranda whispers, “Could this wedding be any gayer?” and as if on command, out comes Liza Minnelli, playing herself, to officiate. (Minnelli’s performance is unexpectedly splendid, and her “wedding song” will wow all her fans–gay, straight, married, single.) Yet beneath the luscious glamour and the really bad hats (oh, Carrie, you should have resisted that harlequin feathered crown), the heroines are struggling with the not-so-glamorous realities of their lives. Charlotte and Harry (the always delightful and dependable Evan Handler) have two demanding young daughters–and a nanny from Ireland whose braless voluptuousness puts new meaning in the phrase “Irish spring,” and who may be threatening their marriage. Miranda, ever the focused career gal, is getting nowhere fast at her law firm. And Carrie, now married to Mr. Big (Chris Noth), is chafing at the cozy staying-in and lying-low that she thinks spell death to romance. (It should be noted that vixen Samantha is still game for walking on the wild side. At the wedding she meets a handsome straight guy and asks him what he does for a living. “I lay concrete,” he says. Samantha: “That sounds promising.”) And for once there are no easy, glib answers to the real-life problem of the four stars, and Sex and the City 2 lets the characters actually grow up, at least a little. Which doesn’t mean their fashions aren’t fabulous. The film is also chock-a-block with great cameos, including Miley Cyrus, Project Runway’s Tim Gunn, and Penélope Cruz. And longtime fans of the TV series will be happy to hear that Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis), Samantha’s onetime flame, and Aidan (John Corbett), who once stole Carrie’s heart, also make appearances. Sex and the City 2 is frothier than a shaken bottle of Champagne, and goes down as smoothly as a couple of appletinis. So fans, drink up! –A.T. Hurley

Rating: (out of 46 reviews)

List Price: $ 35.99

Price: $ 24.99

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The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo+Digital Copy)

admin — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 05:37:24 +0000

Magic is everywhere in Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice-the fun family adventure from the creators of National Treasure. Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a modern-day sorcerer with his hands full defending Manhattan against dark forces. When a seemingly average kid shows hidden potential, Balthazar takes his reluctant recruit on a crash course in the art and science of magic to become the ultimate sorcerer’s apprentice. Experience more extraordinary thrills, heart-stopping action and spectacular special effects than you can imagine as these unlikely partners show us that the real world is far more magical than we ever knew!Who doesn’t wish they could unleash fire from their fingertips and make mops come to life? The Sorcerer’s Apprentice enjoyably captures this fantasy as a young physics student named Dave (Jay Baruchel, She’s Out of My League) learns that he’s the inheritor of the powers of Merlin–and suddenly finds himself in the middle of a war between two of Merlin’s protégés, Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) and Horvath (Alfred Molina, Spider-Man 2). The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is a special-effects blockbuster–but it’s a pretty good one, not reaching the charmed heights of Pirates of the Caribbean but so much better than Prince of Persia. It runs out of air toward the end, but before that it’s jauntily entertaining, with capable dialogue, clever curlicues of plot, and most importantly delightful performances: Cage maintains a light touch, with enough eccentricity to be interesting but not so much that it derails the momentum; Baruchel continues his nerdy hero streak; supporting performances from Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla) and Alice Krige (best known as the Borg Queen from Star Trek) are comic and creepy respectively; Monica Bellucci (Shoot ‘Em Up) and Teresa Palmer (Bedtime Stories) are mostly eye-candy but likable nonetheless; and Molina, as ever, is the best thing in the movie, playing silky villainy with effortless aplomb. All in all, good fun. –Bret Fetzer

Rating: (out of 25 reviews)

List Price: $ 44.99

Price: $ 27.99

Splice (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:33:50 +0000

Superstar genetic engineers Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) specialize in splicing DNA from different animals to create incredible new hybrids. Now they want to use human DNA in a hybrid that could revolutionize science and medicine. But when the pharmaceutical company that funds their research forbids it, they secretly take their experiment underground–risking their careers to push the boundaries of science and serve their own curiosity and ambition. The result is Dren, an amazing, strangely beautiful creature of uncommon intelligence and unexpected physical developments. At first, Dren exceeds their wildest dreams. But as she grows and learns at an accelerated rate, her existence threatens to become their worst nightmare.In the grand movie tradition of doomed scientists, Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) won’t let the official quashing of their Frankensteinian experiment stand in the way of working on the scheme anyway. Sure, the ethics of swizzling together human genes with various lab potions is queasy, and the initial result of their rogue project is disconcertingly pitched somewhere between a human baby and a monster thing with a stinger in its tail. And yes, the beastie is growing fast. Like, really, really fast. But this is science, right? Surely the breakthrough in human evolution that would come with this experiment justifies a little corner cutting? Splice is going to answer these questions in a reliably familiar way, and in its early going it finds some fun in working hip variations on the mad-scientist genre–plus, in Brody and Polley, the film already distinguishes itself by reaching up to the top shelf for actors. It would be nice to report that director Vincenzo Natali (whose Cube was a very fun Twilight Zone-flavored teaser) is able to stitch these elements into something that keeps its momentum going; alas, despite the arrival of Delphine Chaneac as the mature (and unsettlingly sexy) mutant creature, the movie begins stepping into the sillier possibilities of its scenario. Splice would like to mess you around with some aggressively transgressive material toward the end, but this just leads us away from the most fruitful moral questions surrounding the creation of the semi-human being in the first place. That’s where the horror lies. –Robert Horton

Rating: (out of 21 reviews)

List Price: $ 35.99

Price: $ 24.99

Planet Earth: The Complete Series [HD DVD]

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 13:29:15 +0000

With an unprecedented production budget of million, and from the makers of Blue Planet: Seas of Life, comes the epic story of life on Earth. Five years in production, over 2,000 days in the field, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, shot entirely in high definition, this is the ultimate portrait of our planet. A stunning television experience that captures rare action, impossible locations and intimate moments with our planet’s best-loved, wildest and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, this blockbuster series takes you on an unforgettable journey through the daily struggle for survival in Earth’s most extreme habitats. Planet Earth takes you to places you have never seen before, to experience sights and sounds you may never experience anywhere else.As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you’ll ever experience from the comforts of home. The premiere episode, “From Pole to Pole,” serves as a primer for things to come, placing the entire series in proper context and giving a general overview of what to expect from each individual episode. Without being overtly political, the series maintains a consistent and subtle emphasis on the urgent need for ongoing conservation, best illustrated by the plight of polar bears whose very behavior is changing (to accommodate life-threatening changes in their fast-melting habitat) in the wake of global warming–a phenomenon that this series appropriately presents as scientific fact. With this harsh reality as subtext, the series proceeds to accentuate the positive, delivering a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders, from the spectacular mating displays of New Guinea’s various birds of paradise to a rare encounter with Siberia’s nearly-extinct Amur Leopards, of which only 30 remain in the wild.

That’s just a hint of the marvels on display. Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC’s tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you’ll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You’ll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or “flying lemur”–not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia’s magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent “vampire squid” of the deep oceans… these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn’t flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting).

At a time when the multiple threats of global warming should be obvious to all, let’s give Sir David the last word, from the closing of Planet Earth‘s final episode: “We can now destroy or we can cherish–the choice is ours.” –Jeff Shannon

Stills from Planet Earth (click for larger image)

Rating: (out of 2528 reviews)

List Price: $ 99.98

Price: $ 15.26

Jonah Hex (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 10:25:57 +0000

Out of the pages of the legendary comics and graphic novels steps Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin), a scarred drifter and bounty hunter of last resort who can track anyone… and anything. Having survived death, Jonah’s violent history is steeped in myth and legend and has left him with one foot in the natural world and one on the “other side.” His one human connection is with Lilah (Megan Fox), whose life in a brothel has left her with scars of her own. But Jonah’s past catches up with him when the U.S. military makes him an offer he can’t refuse: to wipe out the warrants on his head, he must hunt and stop dangerous terrorist Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). But Turnbull, now gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell, is also Jonah’s oldest enemy and will stop at nothing until Jonah is dead.Another DC Comics hero gets a workout in Jonah Hex, the movie incarnation of DC’s scar-faced bounty hunter, played here by Josh Brolin. Out to exact revenge on the varmint who wrecked his face and killed his family, Jonah also gets yanked back into the service of his country–against his will, of course. Said varmint, Quentin Turnbull, is played by John Malkovich, although the more spirited villainy is provided by Turnbull’s tattooed Irish assistant (Inglourious Basterds‘s Michael Fassbender plays the part with the kind of energy noticeably absent from the other cast members). In this 80-minute hodgepodge of a movie, Jonah regularly checks in with his lady friend, a prostitute (Megan Fox) whose bordello room has a remarkable amount of glamour lighting, and in his spare time investigates Turnbull’s plot to use a super weapon against Washington, D.C. By giving Jonah a halfway-interesting supernatural talent–he can talk with the dead, by placing his hands on them–the film adds a kicky new wrinkle, but it’s not enough to improve the mangled storytelling or the sleepwalking pace. Brolin’s makeup is impressive, but in scarring his cheek and pulling his mouth back in a grotesque grimace, the prosthetics designers have robbed the actor of any ability to express himself through speech. Kind of a miscalculation there, and typical of this movie’s tendency to shoot itself in the face. –Robert Horton

Rating: (out of 17 reviews)

List Price: $ 35.99

Price: $ 22.99

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Letters to Juliet

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 07:25:21 +0000

In Verona, Italy the beautiful city where Romeo first met Juliet there is a place where the heartbroken leave notes asking Juliet for her help. It s there that aspiring writer Sophie finds a 50-year-old letter that will change her life forever. As she sets off on a romantic journey of the heart with the letter’s author, Claire, now a grandmother, and her handsome grandson, all three will discover that sometimes the greatest love story ever told is your own.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary with Amanda Seyfried and Director Gary Winick; Deleted and Extended Scenes; The Making of Letters to Juliet: In Italia; A Courtyard in VeronaLetters to Juliet succeeds in being just what it’s meant to be, a feel-good romantic comedy about love lost and love found, in which love triumphs in the face of cynicism. Inspired by the book of the same name, and filmed against the beautiful backdrop of Verona, Italy, the movie tells the story of how troubled young women seek advice from Shakespeare’s Juliet by leaving letters tacked to a wall, where they are carefully answered by Juliet’s self-appointed “secretaries.” One such note is found 50 years later by Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), a young American woman who is soon to be married and who yearns to become a writer. Her heartfelt answer to the letter serves as a catalyst for an epic romantic journey that will span continents and generations. The success of the film lies in the powerful interaction between the wistfully romantic and fully mature author of the letter, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave); the romantically idealistic Sophie; and Claire’s overly pragmatic, downright cynical grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan), who grudgingly accompanies his grandmother on what he deems an insane quest to Verona to find her long lost love, Lorenzo. The filmmakers, writers, and actors all capitalize well on the comic possibilities of the situation, and there are more than a few good chuckles to be had at the absurdity of the interactions between these three very different characters, as they experience everything from hope and longing to disappointment and unexpected fulfillment. In the end, each character grows and changes profoundly as a result of their shared journey. Sure, the events portrayed in the film are highly unrealistic, but that doesn’t change the fact that the film speaks to that innermost part of us all that, despite all logic, makes us want to believe that true love really does exist and that it just might triumph in the end. –Tami Horiuchi

Rating: (out of 33 reviews)

List Price: $ 26.99

Price: $ 13.85

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The Sound of Music (45th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray + DVD]

admin — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 02:21:14 +0000

When Julie Andrews sang “The hills are alive with the sound of music” from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin’ in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line “To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray”) and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It’s not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis.

It doesn’t matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling novice Maria (Andrews), the dashing Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), and, yes, the cute kids, all based on a real-life World War II Austrian family. Such songs as “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Climb Every Mountain,” and the title tune became part of the 20th century Zeitgeist. In addition, The Sound of Music officially became a cult hit when audiences in London began giving it the Rocky Horror Picture Show treatment, attending showings dressed as their favorite characters and delivering choreographed comments and gestures along with the movie. –David Horiuchi

Rating: (out of 642 reviews)

List Price: $ 34.99

Price: $ 31.49

Fantasia & Fantasia 2000 Special Edition (Four Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:17:42 +0000

Walt Disney’s animated musical masterpiece is an extravaganza of sight and sound-now brilliantly restored for the first time ever in high defi nition! Blu-ray technology fi nally allows you to experience Fantasia-and Fantasia 2000, the triumphant classic it inspired-the way Walt envisioned! Plus, for the first time ever on Blu-ray, experience the 2003 Academy Award®-nominated animated short Destino-the extraordinary collaboration between Walt Disney and legendary artist Salvador Dali!

Revealing new bonus features and commentary bring the Fantasia experience to life, allowing generations of moviegoers all over the world to enjoy this timeless classic like never before. See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Fantasia over and over again.

Rating: (out of 9 reviews)

List Price: $ 45.99

Price: $ 31.99

Rush – Beyond the Lighted Stage [2 DVD]

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:15:52 +0000

Rush is one of rock’s most influential bands. Ranked third in consecutive gold or platinum albums after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, the band enjoys a devoted following by legions around the world and is revered by generations of musicians. Yet, their incredible success story has, up to this point, remained largely untold. Now comes the new documentary Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage, the first comprehensive exploration of the extraordinary power trio. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with notables such as Jack Black, Billy Corgan, Trent Reznor, Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Kirk Hammett (Metallica) and Gene Simmons, this film explores the forty-year career and phenomenon behind what could be the world’s biggest cult band. This 2-disc DVD in deluxe packaging features over 3 hours of video, including a 1.5 hour bonus disc of never-before-seen live performances, special features, and deleted scenes from the film. A 12 page color booklet of rare and unreleased photos is also included. There isn’t a directorial duo better equipped to profile Canada’s famed power trio than compatriots Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the makers of Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. Insightful and entertaining, Beyond the Lighted Stage starts with the band’s roots in working-class Ontario. Singer-bassist Geddy Lee, the son of Holocaust survivors, a self-described “nebbishy quiet kid,” bonds with guitarist Alex Lifeson, the son of Yugoslav immigrants, over “this manic love for music,” completing the lineup with “literate, opinionated” drummer Neil Peart (replacing John Rutsey). Getting gigs comes easy, but landing a record deal proves difficult until a Cleveland station takes a chance on “Working Man,” and Mercury comes calling. The film proceeds oral-history style through the ensuing ups and downs: a tour with KISS (inspiring ribald comments from Gene Simmons), the making of classic records like Moving Pictures, the fashion faux pas, the personal tragedies, and the derision of critics versus the devotion of fans. Jack Black, one of several notable participants, praises their “deep reservoir of rocket sauce,” while Metallica’s Kirk Hammett proclaims them “the high priests of conceptual metal.” They’re also engaging conversationalists, and Dunn and McFadyen up the ante with home movies and early performances. The second disc offers additional live material and a look at a Rush convention. Old hands and new converts alike will find it hard to resist the true-life tale of three men who’ve stuck together through thick and thin, surviving and thriving where others have succumbed to petty squabbles and commercial pressures. –Kathleen C. Fennessy

Rating: (out of 183 reviews)

List Price: $ 19.98

Price: $ 12.68

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Robin Hood (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:54:12 +0000

Cast aside all notions of men in tights: Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood is decidedly earthier and more grown-up than most romps through Sherwood Forest. The presence of the over-40 Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett cinches the deal, lending a dose of worldliness to a project that means to be about the origins of the famous character, who in this incarnation was evidently a late bloomer. Robin Longstride (that’s his name before he started wearing a hood) is just returned from a 10-year jaunt in the Crusades when he loses his king (Danny Huston as Richard the Lionheart) and his job. Back in England, Robin folds himself neatly into a Nottingham family, where a grieving widow named Marion (Blanchett) and her father-in-law (Max von Sydow) hardly care that he doesn’t much resemble their own departed warrior. But the merry men and their famous sideline will have to wait: except for one bit of robbing from the rich (i.e., the greedy government of King John) and giving to the poor, this movie is more concerned with creating a portrait of the royal intrigue that went into creating Robin Hood than in detailing the high jinks of the Nottingham outlaws. And that’s not a bad thing, because although Robin Hood lacks the mechanical action beats that distinguish most films of its scale, it creates an engrossing story line around its political chess playing (outlined by screenwriter Brian Helgeland and apparently a few others). Crowe is in reliable crusty-tender form and Blanchett summons up more than her sketchy character probably deserves, but the film has a large cast of chewy, fun performers: Mark Strong (Kick-Ass) does baddie duty as the treacherous pal of King John (preening Oscar Isaacs), William Hurt is stalwart and wise as a royal power broker, Eileen Atkins is a carefully considered royal mum, and Matthew Macfadyen is a Sheriff of Nottingham who’s no longer central to the villainy–though no less hissable for his ineptitude (and a prime candidate at film’s end for No. 1 bad guy in the sequel). In short, not a Gladiator re-do for Scott and Crowe, but a civilized tale of tyrants and rebels, staged in a pleasingly old-fashioned way. –Robert Horton

List Price: $ 39.98

Price: $ 22.99

How to Train Your Dragon (Single Disc Edition)

admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 04:53:42 +0000

Get ready for fire-breathing adventure on an epic scale in Dreamworks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon. Hiccup is a young Viking who defies convention when he befriends one of his deadliest foes — a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. But humans and dragons are supposed to be mortal enemies, not buddies, and this unlikely pair must overcome many obstacles and one ultimate challenge – to save both their worlds. So sit back and let your imagination take flight in a captivating and exhilarating thrill-ride that’s a heart-warming – and heart-pounding – “must-see for the whole family!” (Scott Mantz, Access Hollywood).A winning mixture of adventure, slapstick comedy, and friendship, How to Train Your Dragon rivals Kung Fu Panda as the most engaging and satisfying film DreamWorks Animation has produced. Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) is a failure as a Viking: skinny, inquisitive, and inventive, he asks questions and tries out unsuccessful contraptions when he’s supposed to be fighting the dragons that attack his village. His father, chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), has pretty much given up on his teenage son and apprenticed him to blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson). Worse, Hiccup knows the village loser hasn’t a chance of impressing Astrid (America Ferrera), the girl of his dreams and a formidable dragon fighter in her own right. When one of Hiccup’s inventions actually works, he hasn’t the heart to kill the young dragon he’s brought down. He names it Toothless and befriends it, although he’s been taught to fear and loathe dragons. Codirectors and cowriters Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who made Disney’s delightful Lilo and Stitch, provide plenty of action, including vertiginous flying sequences, but they balance the pyrotechnics with moments of genuine warmth that make the viewer root for Hiccup’s success. Many DreamWorks films get laughs from sitcom one-liners and topical pop culture references; as the humor in Dragon comes from the characters’ personalities, it feels less timely and more timeless. Toothless chases the spot of sunlight reflected off Hiccup’s hammer like a giant cat with a laser pointer; Hiccup uses his newly found knowledge (and an icky smoked eel) to defeat two small dragons–and impress the other kids. How to Train Your Dragon will be just as enjoyable 10 or 20 years from now as it is today. (Rated PG: suitable for ages 8 and older, violence, some intense action and scary dragons) –Charles Solomon

Rating: (out of 87 reviews)

List Price: $ 29.99

Price: $ 16.99

Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:53:39 +0000

4-DVD, 6-workout fitness set designed to work your body from head to toe
Loaded with red-hot dance steps, pulsating rhythms, and easy-to-follow routines
Comes with maraca-like toning sticks to add muscle to your sculpting workouts
Includes basics workout, 20-minute express workout, and sculpt-and-tone workout
Also includes “cardio party” workout and flat abs workout

Now you can shed the pounds and have a blast while you’re doing it! It’s easy with the Zumba® Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set. Loaded with red-hot dance steps, pulsating Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow routines, this invigorating dance-fitness “”party”" will have you movin’, groovin’ and shakin’ the weight off to the sexy, exotic rhythms of salsa, cumbia, samba, merengue and more! Work your body from head to toe with four DVDs and six exhilarating workouts that teach you all the basics and hit your favorite targets, like your core, thighs and abs. You also get maraca-like Toning Sticks to add some muscle to your body sculpting routines. Now’s the time! Get ready to “Join the Party” and see a whole new side of yourself!Shed pounds and have a blast in the process with the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD set. Loaded with red-hot dance steps, pulsating Latin rhythms, and easy-to-follow routines, this invigorating dance-fitness “party” will have you movin’, groovin’, and shakin’ the weight off to the sexy, exotic rhythms of salsa, cumbia, samba, merengue, and more. Each routine features interval training sessions that combine fast and slow rhythms with resistance training, helping sculpt and tone your body while burning fat. As a result, Zumba fanatics can enjoy multiple long-term health benefits while having fun in the moment. Working out can be a lot of things, but it’s never been known to be an exhilarating experience ? until now.

The set–which comes with four DVDs and six total workouts–will work your body from head to toe, starting with the basics and then moving to your favorite targets, such as your core, thighs, and abs. The set also comes with maraca-like toning sticks to add some muscle to your body sculpting routines. The DVDs include the following workouts: Zumba Fitness Basics Workout, Zumba Fitness 20-Minute Express Workout, Zumba Fitness Sculpt & Tone Workout, Zumba Fitness Cardio Party Workout, Zumba Fitness Live! Workout, and Zumba Fitness Flat Abs Workout.

About Zumba Fitness
Celebrity fitness trainer “Beto” Perez stumbled upon the concept of Latin-inspired dance fitness in his native Cali, Colombia, in the mid-’90s. One day, he walked into his aerobics class and realized he had forgotten his aerobics music. Thinking quickly, he grabbed some tapes from his backpack, which included the traditional Latin salsa and merengue music he’d listened to all his life. Although it was tough to improvise a whole class on the spot, Beto rose to the challenge and gave birth to a revolutionary new concept in fitness: the Zumba Fitness Party. The class soon became the most popular class at his fitness facility. As of July 2009, the Zumba program is being taught at more than 50,000 locations in 75 countries, has sold millions of DVDs, and has changed the lives of Zumba fanatics worldwide, with an estimated 6 million participants taking Zumba classes every week.

Rating: (out of 121 reviews)

List Price: $ 69.95

Price: $ 63.90

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The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts (3 DVD)

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:53:40 +0000

-The complete HBO special, hosted by Tom Hanks.
-51 complete performances.
-Plus 16 bonus performances.
-Over 5 hours of rock ‘n’ roll history.
-Includes collector’s issue of Rolling Stone magazine with behind-the-scenes stories of the concerts.

On October 29th and 30th, 2009, rock ‘n’ roll royalty held court at Madison Square Garden for
what have been called ‘the best concerts ever,’ and where ‘rock ‘n’ roll history was made.’
The concerts featured a who’s who of rock ‘n’ roll from the ’50s to the ’90s and included artists
performing together in unprecedented combinations that will most likely never be witnessed again.
‘The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary Concerts’ included sets by Crosby, Stills & Nash; Stevie Wonder; Paul Simon; Simon & Garfunkel; Aretha Franklin; Metallica; U2; Jeff Beck and Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band. Joining this iconic line up on stage were special guests including: Jerry Lee Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, Annie Lennox, Lou Reed, John Fogerty, Mick Jagger, Fergie and others.
A 4-hour special of the concerts aired on HBO to high ratings, and was seen by tens of millions. Now this historic event is available on DVD.

Highlights include:
-Mick Jagger and Fergie in a blistering version of the Stones’ classic ‘Gimme Shelter,’ with U2 as the backing band.
-Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel on-stage for a rollicking rendition of ‘Born to Run.’
-Sting joins Jeff Beck for the Curtis Mayfeld classic ‘People Get Ready.’
-Paul Simon, David Crosby and graham Nash join together for a spine-tingling ‘Here Comes the Sun.’
-Ozzy Osbourne sings with Metallica on the Black Sabbath classics ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Paranoid.’
-John Fogerty & Bruce Springsteen share vocals on Roy Orbison’s ‘Oh, Pretty Woman.’

Rating: (out of 9 reviews)

List Price: $ 39.99

Price: $ 29.99

Toy Story 3

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:53:38 +0000

The creative minds behind Disney•Pixar’s groundbreaking animated blockbusters invites you back inside the Toys’ delightful world for a heartwarming and hilarious Hi-Definition movie experience you’ll never forget. All the original voice talent returns (including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) plus new talent including Michael Keaton as Ken and Ned Beatty as Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear. It’s “the biggest, best, most exciting Toy Story of them all,” raves Access Hollywood.

As Andy gets ready to leave for college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang wonder if this is the end of the line. But, when a mix up lands them in the Sunnyside Day Care Center where they meet 14 new toys, they soon discover that a wild new adventure is just beginning! Take an amazing journey with some of the most beloved characters in movie history and discover what being a friend is truly all about.

“It’s everything a movie should be: hilarious, touching, exciting and clever,” says USA Today. Buzzing with hours of exclusive bonus features, including an interactive trivia game and the Pixar short film Day and Night, Toy Story 3 goes to infinity and beyond on Blu-ray Hi-Def!

What made the original Toy Story so great, besides its significant achievement as the first-ever feature-length computer animated film, was its ability to instantly transport viewers into a magical world where it seemed completely plausible that toys were living, thinking beings who sprang to life the minute they were alone and wanted nothing more than to be loved and played with by their children. Toy Story 3 absolutely succeeds in the very same thing–adults and children alike, whether they’ve seen the original film or not, find themselves immediately immersed in a world in which Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Ham (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the aliens, and the rest of Andy’s toys remain completely devoted to Andy (John Morris) even as he’s getting ready to pack up and leave for college. Woody scoffs at the other toys’ worries that they’ll end up in the garbage, assuring them that they’ve earned a spot of honor in the attic, but when the toys are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, Woody is the only toy whose devotion to Andy outweighs the promise of getting played with each and every day. Woody sets off toward home alone while the other toys settle in for some daycare fun, but things don’t turn out quite as expected at the daycare thanks to the scheming, strawberry-scented old-timer bear Lots-o’-Huggin’ (Ned Beatty). Eventually, Woody rejoins his friends and they all attempt a daring escape from the daycare, which could destroy them all. The pacing of the film is impeccable at this point, although the sense of peril may prove almost too intense for a few young viewers. Pixar’s 3-D computer animation is top-notch as always and the voice talent in this film is tremendous, but in the end, it’s Pixar’s uncanny ability to combine drama, action, and humor in a way that irresistibly draws viewers into the world of the film that makes Toy Story 3 such great family entertainment. (Ages 7 and older) –Tami Horiuchi

Rating: (out of 79 reviews)

List Price: $ 29.99

Price: $ 16.99

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Up (Mandarin Chinese Edition)

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:54:22 +0000

Language: Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles: Chinese, English
Studio: Walt Disney Video / Pixar Animation Studios
Region: 6 (This DVD will not play on most DVD players sold in the US or Canada [Region 1]. This item requires a region specific or multi-region DVD player)

At a time when too many animated films consist of anthropomorphized animals cracking sitcom one-liners and flatulence jokes, the warmth, originality, humor, and unflagging imagination of Up feel as welcome as rain in a desert. Carl Fredericksen ranks among the most unlikely heroes in recent animation history. A 78- year-old curmudgeon, he enjoyed his modest life as a balloon seller because he shared it with his adventurous wife Ellie. But she died, leaving him with memories and the awareness that they never made their dream journey to Paradise Falls in South America. When well-meaning officials consign Carl to Shady Oaks Retirement Home, he rigs thousands of helium balloons to his house and floats to South America. The journey’s scarcely begun when he discovers a stowaway: Russell, a chubby, maladroit Wilderness Explorer Scout who’s out to earn his Elderly Assistance Badge. In the tropical jungle, Carl and Russell find more than they bargained for: Charles Muntz, a crazed explorer whose newsreels once inspired Carl and Ellie; Kevin, an exotic bird with a weakness for chocolate; and Dug, an endearingly dim golden retriever fitted with a voice box. More importantly, the travelers discover they need each other: Russell needs a (grand)father figure; Carl needs someone to enliven his life without Ellie. Together, they learn that sharing ice-cream cones and counting the passing cars can be more meaningful than feats of daring-do and distant horizons. Even by Pixar’s elevated standards, Up is an exceptional film that will appeal of audiences of all ages.

Language: Mandarin Chinese (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: Chinese, English

Region: 6 (This DVD will not play on most DVD players sold in the US or Canada [Region 1]. This item requires a region specific or multi-region DVD player)

Rating: (out of 746 reviews)

Price: $ 19.99

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Toy Story 3 (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:52:51 +0000

The creative minds behind Disney Pixar’s groundbreaking animated blockbusters invites you back inside the Toys’ delightful world for a heartwarming and hilarious Hi-Definition movie experience you’ll never forget. All the original voice talent returns (including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) plus new talent including Michael Keaton as Ken and Ned Beatty as Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear. It’s the biggest, best, most exciting Toy Story of them all, raves Access Hollywood.
As Andy gets ready to leave for college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang wonder if this is the end of the line. But, when a mix up lands them in the Sunnyside Day Care Center where they meet 14 new toys, they soon discover that a wild new adventure is just beginning! Take an amazing journey with some of the most beloved characters in movie history and discover what being a friend is truly all about.
It’s everything a movie should be: hilarious, touching, exciting and clever, says USA Today. Buzzing with hours of exclusive bonus features, including an interactive trivia game and the Pixar short film Day and Night, Toy Story 3 goes to infinity and beyond on Blu-ray Hi-Def!What made the original Toy Story so great, besides its significant achievement as the first-ever feature-length computer animated film, was its ability to instantly transport viewers into a magical world where it seemed completely plausible that toys were living, thinking beings who sprang to life the minute they were alone and wanted nothing more than to be loved and played with by their children. Toy Story 3 absolutely succeeds in the very same thing–adults and children alike, whether they’ve seen the original film or not, find themselves immediately immersed in a world in which Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head (Don Rickles and Estelle Harris), Ham (John Ratzenberger), Rex (Wallace Shawn), the aliens, and the rest of Andy’s toys remain completely devoted to Andy (John Morris) even as he’s getting ready to pack up and leave for college. Woody scoffs at the other toys’ worries that they’ll end up in the garbage, assuring them that they’ve earned a spot of honor in the attic, but when the toys are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare, Woody is the only toy whose devotion to Andy outweighs the promise of getting played with each and every day. Woody sets off toward home alone while the other toys settle in for some daycare fun, but things don’t turn out quite as expected at the daycare thanks to the scheming, strawberry-scented old-timer bear Lots-o’-Huggin’ (Ned Beatty). Eventually, Woody rejoins his friends and they all attempt a daring escape from the daycare, which could destroy them all. The pacing of the film is impeccable at this point, although the sense of peril may prove almost too intense for a few young viewers. Pixar’s 3-D computer animation is top-notch as always and the voice talent in this film is tremendous, but in the end, it’s Pixar’s uncanny ability to combine drama, action, and humor in a way that irresistibly draws viewers into the world of the film that makes Toy Story 3 such great family entertainment. (Ages 7 and older) –Tami Horiuchi

Rating: (out of 79 reviews)

List Price: $ 45.99

Price: $ 28.99

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King Corn (Standard Packaging)

admin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:47:20 +0000

Engrossing and eye-opening, KING CORN is a fun and crusading journey into the digestive tract of our fast food nation where one ultra-industrial, pesticide-laden, heavily-subsidized commodity dominates the food pyramid from top to bottom – corn. Fueled by curiosity and a dash of naivet‚, college buddies Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis return to their ancestral home of Greene, Iowa to figure out how a modest kernel conquered America. With the help of some real farmers, oodles of fertilizer and government aid, and some genetically modified seeds, the friends manage to grow one acre of corn. Along the way, they unlock the hilarious absurdities and scary but hidden truths about America’s modern food system.Picking up where Super Size Me left off, King Corn examines America’s health woes through the multifaceted lens of one humble grain. Director Aaron Woolf and co-writers Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis offer irrefutable proof that the US is virtually drowning in the stuff. Corn meal, corn starch, hydrologized corn protein, and high fructose corn syrup fuel a multitude of products, from soft drinks to hamburgers. The starchy vegetable grows with ease and government subsidies insure over-abundant production. Woolf documents the 11-month effort of college friends Cheney and Ellis, who trace their ancestry to the same small Iowa town, to raise their own crop. After finding a farmer willing to lend them an acre, they meet with agronomists, historians, and other experts before plowing, seeding, and spraying. Prior to harvesting, the easygoing Yale grads travel to Colorado to compare the grass-fed cattle of yore with today’s corn-fed counterparts; then to New York to explore the links between corn syrup, obesity, and diabetes. With assistance from author Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), a whimsical score, and stop-motion animation–farm toys and corn kernels–Woolf and associates bring biochemistry to vivid life. On a micro level, this genial eye-opener celebrates friends and farmers; on a macro level, King Corn bemoans the subsidies and genetic modifications that have turned a formerly protein-filled product into the fatty “yellow dent no. 2.” Bonus features include a music video, photo gallery, and “The Lost Basement Lectures,” an amusingly fake instructional movie about the aims of agriculture. –Kathleen C. Fennessy

Rating: (out of 68 reviews)

List Price: $ 19.95

Price: $ 9.71

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Breaking Bad: The Complete Third Season

admin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:26:27 +0000

In Breaking Bad’s third season, Walt – an unrepentant ‘everyman’ who has embraced his kingpin alter ego “Heisenberg” – continues to battle dueling identities: a desperate husband and father trying to provide for his family, and a newly appointed key player in the Albuquerque drug trade. As the danger around him escalates, Walt is now entrenched in the complex worlds of an angst-ridden family on the verge of dissolution, and the ruthless and unrelenting drug cartel.

Rating: (out of 13 reviews)

List Price: $ 39.95

Price: $ 35.99

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The Blue Lagoon (Special Edition)

admin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:43:22 +0000

When the ship that they are travelling on wrecks, two small children must find safety, and deal with the physical and emotional changes that they areThe cinematography by Néstor Almendros garnered him an Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, the performance by then child star Brooke Shields garnered her a nomination, too–for a Razzie Award. She won, he didn’t.

This 1980 remake of a much classier, 1949 British version features Shields and Christopher Atkins as children shipwrecked on a lush tropical island. They grow to maturity and fall in love, with the script paying special attention to their burgeoning sexuality. Should you desire more trite dialogue, there is an even less satisfying sequel, 1991′s Return to the Blue Lagoon. –Rochelle O’Gorman

Rating: (out of 84 reviews)

List Price: $ 14.94

Price: $ 8.54

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The Monkees – Our Favorite Episodes

admin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:00:59 +0000

IN NEW INTERVIEWS, EACH MEMBER OF THE GROUP DISCUSS THEIR FAVORITE EPISODE FROM THE MONKEES CLASSIC TV SERIES, WHICH THEN FOLLOWS. DAVY: HITTING THE HIGH SEAS. PETER: MONKEES VS. MACHINE. MICKY: THE FRODIS CAPER. MIKE: FAIRY TALE.Whether you’re indulging nostalgia or experiencing the Monkees for the first time, Our Favorite Episodes–chosen by Davey Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith–is a curious time capsule. Even for veteran Monkeephiles, it’s obvious that the TV series, totaling 58 episodes from 1966 to 1968, hasn’t aged very gracefully. It’s fun as a pop-cultural artifact, and original fans will fondly recall the eagerness with which each week’s episode was anticipated. Looking back, however, the shows are marginally amusing, and their improvisational, low-budget strategy tends to limit their lasting appeal. For die-hard fans it won’t matter a bit; any chance to own and archive the Monkee phenomenon (with brief latter-day interviews included) is going to be welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed.

Because Jones’s favorite episode was actually the Emmy-winning “Royal Flush,” the inclusion of “Hitting the High Seas” is a conspicuous blunder, but it’s compensated by Peter’s “Monkee vs. Machine.” Directed by series producer (and then-budding filmmaker) Bob Rafelson, and featuring comedian Stan Freberg as a stodgy toy-company executive, this early episode was a first-season highlight. Mickey selected (and directed) the series finale, “Mijacogeo (The Frodis Caper),” which is noteworthy for a filmed performance of Tim Buckley singing a rare acoustic version of “Siren Song” (further proof that the Monkees were hipper than their TV personas). Mike’s favorite “Fairy Tale” is a wild romp indeed, with Nesmith in drag (as a fairy princess), sounding shockingly like Cher from her later TV variety show. They’re semi-inspired at best, but these vintage episodes still capture the lunacy that accompanied the meteoric success of the “Pre-Fab Four.” –Jeff Shannon

Rating: (out of 25 reviews)

List Price: $ 14.95

Price: $ 7.74

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It’s Entertainment!

admin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:39:42 +0000

Overture and beginners please… Strike up the band… Stand by for Celtic Thunder… and It s Entertainment . This stylish and high energy trip through some of the great songs of the last 30 years is pure showbiz! It is a tribute from Celtic Thunder to the legacy they have inherited from the great entertainers of the past, and a mark of how far they themselves have travelled as performers, in a few short years. It evokes an era of big bands and boulevards, top hats and tails and singing and dancin in the rain! It makes for irresistible listening as the principals from this generation pay their respects to the stars of an earlier time. In the true tradition of variety the music covers a mix of styles, of songs and of singers, as the lads salute their musical heroes- from Fred Astaire to Neil Diamond, from Jim Croce to Chicago, from Michael Buble to The Beach Boys!
Each member features with two songs, one a serious workout, the other a bit of pure fun and a chance to let the hair down! These lighter choices have George stomping around to The Proclaimer s My Life With You , while Ryan takes on the persona of a Chicago gangster with Bad, Bad Leroy Brown . Keith slips right into character with a Surfer Medley and Damian becomes a bit of a boulevardier with Standing On The Corner . Paul steps up to the plate as an accomplished song and dance man with the rooty-tooty Doo Wacka Doo , specially written by Phil Coulter. One big surprise package is guitarist Neil who not only joins Ryan and Keith in a haunting, close harmony version of Leonard Cohen s Hallelujah but also delivers a superb, soulful solo on the Disney classic When You Wish Upon A Star . The show is rounded off by a couple of ensemble numbers, featuring all six singers, the perennial Amazing Grace and U2 s anthemic Still Haven t Found What I m Looking For . All in all, this is an inspired celebration of wonderful songs and great singers, an uplifting feel-good package that is the perfect antidote to the recession blues!

Rating: (out of 132 reviews)

List Price: $ 19.98

Price: $ 13.98

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The Secret of NIMH

admin — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 23:31:12 +0000

Get ready to meet some runaway rodents with an earth-shattering secret! Suspenseful and heartwarming, this beautifully animated odyssey stars Mrs. Brisby, a mild-mannered mother mouse with a plan to move Heaven and Earth (or at least her house and home) to save her family from Farmer Fitzgibbon’s plow! Along the way she gets some help from a lovelorn Crow, a busybody neighbor mouse and a fearsome Great Owl. Unfortunately, Mrs. Brisby will need an engineering miracle to hoist her home, and for that she must face a mysterious rat, fend off a ferocious cat and claim a magic amulet! But when Mrs. Brisby discovers the astounding secret of NIMH…it could change her life forever! This timeless tale of love, courage and determination will transport the whole family into an enchanting world where the bravest hearts live in the meekest of mice.In his book, Robert C. O’Brien called his brave widow mouse “Mrs. Frisby,” but Disney escapee animator Don Bluth must have thought kids would laugh the wrong way at that. They renamed her “Mrs. Brisby” for NIMH. That acronym stands for the National Institute of Mental Health, and the rats that live near Mrs. Brisby came from NIMH–they have strange ways. But they’re the only ones who can save her house and her children, so Brisby seeks them out with the help of a humorous crow (Dom DeLuise). The magic gets laid on a little thick but this is Don Bluth’s most successful attempt to achieve a complete, sincere, animated film. It’s often forgotten, but it’s a true surprise and a rare treat in the vast wasteland of insubstantial children’s fare. –Keith Simanton

Rating: (out of 188 reviews)

List Price: $ 14.98

Price: $ 5.50

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Pacific Heights

admin — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:23:14 +0000

A young couple buy a San Francisco house, planning to use its two rental units to help with the mortgage. Their new tenant turns out to be a sadist thEver a had neighbor from hell? You know, the one who never cleans, makes too much noise at night with his jigsaw, and breeds cockroaches and pumps them into your apartment? Never have? Well, pump up your paranoia with this outlandish if mildly enjoyable thriller starring Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine as San Francisco yuppies-cum-landlords who rent out an apartment in their Pacific Heights house to mild-mannered Michael Keaton in order to make the mortgage payment. What seems like a happy arrangement all around turns hellish when: (a) Keaton refuses to pay the rent; (b) firmly entrenches himself in the apartment thanks to some legal maneuvering; and (c) starts playing with the cockroaches. Ostensibly, Keaton wants to drive Griffith and Modine to bankruptcy and then pick up their fab Victorian house for cheap, but as is the way of all thrillers, he’s got a sadistic and homicidal bent to back up his real-estate envy. Director John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy) manipulates the thrills somewhat effectively, if not gratuitously, especially with Griffith’s damsel-in-distress character, turning on the tension in the don’t-go-to-the-attic/garage/basement set pieces. Part of the problem of the film lies in its schizophrenic tone: one moment it’s a what’s-in-the-dark? thriller, at other times a nifty cat-and-mouse game of psychological wills between Keaton and his landlords. Both sides of the movie are effective in their own right, and Keaton is a great psycho, but Schlesinger doesn’t quite bring it together, despite a considerably amped-up climax. Still, if the sight of a beautiful house being slowly destroyed is your idea of the ultimate horror, you’ll be chilled to the bone. Look for Griffith’s mother, Tippi Hedren of The Birds fame, in a small role. –Mark Englehart

Rating: (out of 32 reviews)

List Price: $ 9.98

Price: $ 3.04

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